Firn depth correction along the Antarctic grounding line

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: van den Broeke, Michiel, van de Berg, Willem Jan, van Meijgaard, Erik
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2008
• Subjects: Antarctic; Dronning Maud Land; The Antarctic; West Antarctica; Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095410200800148x; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S095410200800148X

Abstract To reduce the uncertainty in the calculation of Antarctic solid ice fluxes, the firn depth correction (Δh) in Antarctica is inferred from a steady-state firn densification model forced by a regional atmospheric climate model. The modelled density agrees well with observations from firn cores, apart from a site at the origin of fast flowing West Antarctic ice stream (Upstream B), where densification is anomalously rapid. The spatial distribution of Δh over Antarctica shows large variations, especially in the grounding line zone where large climate gradients exist. In places where the grounding line crosses ablation areas, Δh is zero. Along the remainder of the grounding line, Δh values range from typically 13 m in dry coastal areas (e.g. Dronning Maud Land) to 19 m in wet coastal areas (e.g. West Antarctica).